Payments Architecture & Engineering Specialist

Worldpay

$127K — $192K *
Information Technology
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5-7 years of experience in payments systems and architecture
  • Proficient in cloud-native architecture, preferably AWS
  • Hands-on expertise in backend development (PHP, C#, etc.)
  • Deep understanding of microservices and event-driven architecture
  • Familiarity with compliance regulations (PCI, data protection)

Responsibilities

  • Lead the design and evolution of payments system architecture
  • Drive architectural decisions across applications and data layers
  • Contribute to engineering efforts including backend services and deployment automation
  • Prototype solutions for new architectural patterns
  • Lead high-impact initiatives spanning multiple teams

Benefits

  • Access to advanced tools and platforms
  • Support for professional growth and learning opportunities
  • Collaboration with cross-functional teams
  • Flexible work environment with remote options
  • Opportunity to influence technology strategy and architecture decisions
Full Job Description
Job Description

Job Title: Payments Architecture & Engineering Specialist

We are seeking a highly experienced Payments Architecture & Engineering Specialist to help design, evolve, and execute against the technology strategy of a large-scale payments platform.

This role operates at the intersection of application architecture, cloud infrastructure, and platform engineering, with a strong emphasis on hands-on delivery. You will partner closely with engineering leadership to shape the future state of payment systems while driving execution across complex, high-impact initiatives.

This is a senior individual contributor role designed for a technical leader who thrives in ambiguity, understands the realities of building and scaling payment systems, and can move seamlessly between architecture, development, and infrastructure.

Architecture & System Design
  • Lead the design and evolution of core payments system architecture, including APIs, transaction processing, funding flows, and supporting services
  • Define patterns and standards across monoliths, microservices, and event-driven architecture
  • Drive architectural decisions across applications, infrastructure, and data layers
  • Evaluate and guide modernization efforts (e.g., decomposition, service boundaries, integration strategies)


Hands-on Engineering & Execution
  • Actively contribute to engineering efforts across the stack, including:
    • Backend services and APIs
    • Infrastructure as Code (Terraform/Pulumi)
    • CI/CD pipelines and deployment automation
  • Build and prototype solutions for new architectural patterns and platform capabilities
  • Perform deep technical troubleshooting and help resolve complex production issues


Payments Domain Leadership
  • Apply deep understanding of payments systems and flows, including:
    • Merchant onboarding, transaction authorization, settlement, and funding
    • Risk, underwriting, and compliance considerations (e.g., PCI)
    • Processor and third-party integrations
  • Partner with product and engineering teams to ensure technical solutions align with business and regulatory requirements


Platform & Developer Enablement
  • Improve engineering velocity through enhancements to:
    • CI/CD pipelines, testing, and deployment workflows
    • GitHub, Jira, and developer tooling ecosystems
    • Infrastructure provisioning and environment consistency
  • Establish best practices and guardrails for scalable, reliable development


High-Impact & Ambiguous Work
  • Lead and execute cross-cutting, high-priority initiatives that span multiple teams
  • Step into undefined or complex problem spaces and drive clarity, direction, and delivery
  • Act as a technical force multiplier, accelerating progress across architecture and engineering efforts


Strategic Partnership
  • Serve as a trusted partner to engineering leadership, contributing to:
    • Technology strategy and roadmap development
    • Architecture reviews and decision-making forums
    • Evaluation of tools, platforms, and investments
  • Help bridge gaps between product, engineering, platform, and operations teams


What you'll bring

Core Characteristics
  • Strong technical leader who combines architectural thinking with hands-on execution
  • Comfortable operating in ambiguous, fast-moving environments
  • High ownership mindset; able to independently drive outcomes
  • Effective communicator who can influence across engineering and business stakeholders


Technical Expertise
  • Extensive experience designing and building large-scale distributed systems
  • Strong background in cloud-native architecture (AWS preferred)
  • Hands-on experience with:
    • Backend development (PHP, C#, multiple languages preferred)
    • Microservices and API design
    • Event-driven architecture
    • Infrastructure as Code (Terraform or similar)
    • CI/CD and automation frameworks
  • Familiarity with observability, resiliency patterns, and performance optimization


Payments & Financial Systems Experience (Strongly Preferred)
  • Experience building or operating payments platforms or transactional systems
  • Knowledge of payment processing flows, integration, and lifecycle management
  • Understanding of compliance and regulatory considerations (e.g., PCI, data protection)


Versatility & Depth
  • Proven ability to:
    • Work across applications, infrastructure, and platform layers
    • Jump into unfamiliar systems and quickly deliver value
    • Lead technical efforts without direct authority
  • Prior experience in roles such as:
    • Senior/Staff Engineer, Architect, or similar senior IC roles


#LI-MP1

Worldpay is dedicated to offering individuals rewarding career opportunities and competitive compensation. For this full-time position, the good faith estimated annual salary range upon hire is $127,500.00-$192,525.00. This range reflects what we reasonably expect to offer based on the role's responsibilities, level, and geographic location. The actual starting salary will be determined by a candidate's experience, job-related skills, and relevant education or training. Please note that changes in work location may impact the final offered salary. We encourage you to consult with your recruiter to confirm the budget for your location and to better understand the applicable pay scale.

Candidates and applicants are advised they may redact age information from requested items like transcripts, resumes, and certificates attached to their application for positions that can be performed in Colorado.

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